Wiccan Eyes

Spirituality and Religion

I have come across this topic today and it really made me think.
What is the difference between Spirituality and Religion?

I was talking to my brother yesterday. He's the only one who knows of my witchy interests. Since we have a very close relationship with eachother he wants me to teach him about Wicca in order for him to understand my interests.
I'm not going to lie, he asked some very amazing questions.

"But how is Wicca a religion, when there is no 'set' doctrine or a permanent entity? Why is it so different?"

Wicca is a religion. A religion (meaning to bind.) binds us to something like a higher entity or a set of morals to go by. Just because there is no set god or goddess, it doesn't mean a Witch isn't bound to something. They are, whether it's a God or Goddess, or just Nature, they are bound to something. Some might worship Cernunnos, while others might worship Selene. Some might worship just one or both. Some might just go out to tune themselves to the Earth that surrounds them. It all depends on the person.

The only doctrines/rules for Wicca is the Threefold Law. (An it harm none, do what ye will. Ever mind the rule of three, what ye send out comes back to thee).
Of course it's different for every person, but that's basically the foundation. There are many other people in different Wiccan traditions who make up their own rules/doctrines etc but it's up to those traditions because some are more strict and then there are also others not so strict.

Now back to the main topic. What's really the difference? Well. You can be spiritual and still not be religious, but you can't be religious if you yourself are not spiritual.

Why did my brother think that Wicca isn't a religion? Maybe alot of people think that religion has to be like the other popular ones when it doesn't have to be.

When you think of religion, you should think of words like "Practice" and "Structure" and "Morality".
These are things Wicca can instill in a person when they accept it. Therefore it is a religion and not just a "silly little thing".

Without Spirituality, you cannot be religious. Now that is entirely my opinion but I like my opinion because it makes sense. You can practice all you want. You can light an incense, you can smudge your house, and you can collect more geodes for your collection, but if you are just doing it...To do it...then it doesn't really help with being spiritual and religious. If you do these things with mind and heart, then it is only then that these practices have spiritual purpose.

This also falls under to a previous chapter when I mentioned why some spells don't work. If you just do them with an empty intention, then you're getting empty results.